FINRA Arbitration Statistics for 2021: Deck Continues to be Stacked Against Investors

computer-burnout-man-with-hands-covering-face-while-working-with-a-laptop-computer-frustration-stress

FINRA—the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority—is a private, self-regulatory organization that regulates brokerage firms, financial advisors, and advisory firms. FINRA offers arbitration and mediation services for investors who seek assistance with some registered member that they feel has violated FINRA’s code of conduct. FINRA maintains a public record of financial advisor and brokerage disciplinary actions and […]

Morgan Stanley’s David Lehnertz Involved in $5 Million Suitability Complaint

ahmer-kalam

Morgan Stanley broker and investment adviser David Lehnertz (CRD# 2287146) is involved in a pending customer dispute seeking 7-figure damages. According to his Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) BrokerCheck report, accessed on February 24, 2022, he is currently based in the firm’s office in Newport Beach, California. Customer Complaint: David Lehnertz Made Unsuitable Recommendations In […]

Court: Wells Fargo’s Lawyer Rigged Complaint Process

business-flat-lay-mac-coffee-glasses-and-newspaper

In an alarming decision, the Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia recently found that Wells Fargo Advisors engaged in a scheme to “manipulate” and “secretly redline the neutral list” of FINRA arbitrators that are used to resolve Wells Fargo Advisor Complaints.  The case number is Civil Action File No. 2019CV328949.  A copy of the decision […]

IRS Hires Additional 200 Attorneys to Prosecute Syndicated Conservation Easement Investors

Photo of Form

On January 21, 2022, the IRS posted an announcement that it was seeking to hire up to 200 attorneys to prosecute fraudulent syndicated conservation easement, or SCET, deals.  The IRS’s announcement comes after a series of aggressive actions by attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice.  These actions include the high-profile indictments of CPAs.  In […]

Legal Options for PetroRock Mineral Investors

Narith Long: Investor Complaints Against Ex-NYLife Broker

On September 24, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Commission entered an order instituting cease and desist proceedings against Resolute Capital Partners related to the marketing of PetroRock Mineral holdings. Government: PetroRock Diverted Funds, Lied to Investors In addition to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the State of Washington recently issued an order related to the […]

Recovery Options for GWG L Bond Investors

Accounting

Our law firm wants to speak with investors who lost money investing in GWG L Bonds offered by GWG Holdings. If you or someone you know lost money investing in a GWG L Bond, please contact attorneys Marc Fitapelli or Jeffrey Saxon for a free and confidential consultation by calling 800-767-8040. You can also complete […]

Former UBS Broker German Nino is Arrested

game-night-is-monopolizing-all-my-time

German Nino (CRD # 2653707), a broker and investment adviser formerly associated with UBS Financial, was arrested on allegations of stealing approximately $5.8 million from a long-standing client.  Nino was previously registered with UBS in Miami from July 2012 until August 2020.  The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office each announced […]

Morgan Stanley’s Meridian Wealth Management Group Involved in $15 Million Options Complaint

a-bank-vault-with-large-spinning-lock

Members of Morgan Stanley’s Meridian Wealth Group are involved in a $15 million dispute according to FINRA.  The members, Christopher McCaffrey (CRD# 2735236), Elizabeth Layne (CRD# 4497721), Michael Spector (CRD# 2857657), and Michael Wagner (CRD# 4465334) are all involved in the same dispute. According to their Financial Industry Regulatory Authority BrokerCheck reports, accessed on December […]

Complex Options: Butterfly Spreads and Protective Collars

business-stock-financial-finance-management-data-investment-trade-market-graph-analysis-marketing

In our previous article on options, we discussed options strategies in depth and explained what a spread is. If you are already familiar with options spreads, we can now look into more advanced options strategies, specifically, butterfly spreads and protective collars. What is a butterfly spread? The butterfly spread is thought to take its name […]

Ponzi Scheme Investigation: deeproot Funds and Robert Mueller

Numbers-on-Spreadsheet

Our law office is investigating arbitration cases against the financial advisors who marketed deeproot Funds to investors.  If you or someone you know invested in a deeproot fund, including 575 fund or dGRD, please call us at 800-767-8040 for a free and confidential consultation. What is the lawsuit about deeproot Funds about? On August 20, […]